14.5" rims to fit regular trailer axles?

[brokenot]

I was just being sarcastic....my bad.

Here's the thing:

14.5s are not made with some exotic, heavy-duty rubber compound.

The cords and plies aren't special or exotic either.

If they were, they wouldn't be cheaper.

Much of the *higher-in-comparison* load rating, comes from the fact that they're not going to carry that rated weight at the same speeds or for the same expected service life of other trailer tires.

Other trailer tires' rated weight carrying capacities are much more conservative, because they're not designed and built for some "limited-use" duty.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I was just being sarcastic....my bad.

Here's the thing:

14.5s are not made with some exotic, heavy-duty rubber compound.

The cords and plies aren't special or exotic either.

If they were, they wouldn't be cheaper.

Much of the *higher-in-comparison* load rating, comes from the fact that they're not going to carry that rated weight at the same speeds or for the same expected service life of other trailer tires.

Other trailer tires' rated weight carrying capacities are much more conservative, because they're not designed and built for some "limited-use" duty.

Do you think DOT is being bought off or something.

I am not talking about limited use 14.5 wheels/tires here but DOT stamped tires made for any use. They do not have $15 per tire for Super Bowl spots for one.

 

[Verticaltrx]

Do you think DOT is being bought off or something.

I am not talking about limited use 14.5 wheels/tires here but DOT stamped tires made for any use. They do not have $15 per tire for Super Bowl spots for one.

A lot of people have a hard time understanding that not all 8.00-14.5 tires are 'mobile home' tires. It is simply a size of tire that was used by the mobile home industry because they are short in height with a high load rating. However, most of the tires they use are limited use tires marked 'Mobile Home Use Only', but that doesn't mean that every 8.00-14.5 tire is.

Hudson which is a major manufacturer of equipment trailers has used 8.00-14.5 tires on bud-type wheels on their 8,000-9,000lb low boy equipment trailers up until a year or so ago. If it were illegal they would not have produced and sold hundred of trailers set up that way. Last time I was at Agri-Supply they still had at least a couple 16' Hudson equipment trailers with bud-type wheels and 8.00-14.5 tires in stock.

Edit: I found what I was looking for: http://www.easternmarine.com/145-6-Lug-Painted-Trailer-Wheel-Rim/

 

[brokenot]

I never said there aren't any DOT-approved 14.5s. I also never said nor implied that they are illegal.

I simply said that the reason they're rated for a much higher carrying capacity, is because they're not as conservatively rated. Ask the tire manufacturer themselves, or a tire dealer that has been dealing with them for a while.

It seems like you're implying that even though they're cheaper to buy, they're also somehow "better" because they have a higher weight rating stamped on the side.

Answer this question: If a tire manufacturer makes one line of trailer tires that cost more money, and also makes another line of trailer tires that costs less money but are rated for more capacity.....how in the world do they sell the more expensive yet lower capacity tire to anyone?

It's pretty simple, really.

And while you may be able to point to a couple of trailer manufacturers that do use them, (or have used them in the past), the vast majority of manufacturers don't.

Yet they're cheaper to buy, and *rated* for more weight.

Trailer manufacturers would be all over that.....if it weren't for the plethora of drawbacks.

 

[jim cullison]

I'm getting ready to put a new set of axles under my old 18' 4-ton lowboy trailer and would like to stick with the 8-14.5" mobile home type tires. I like that they are short, but have a huge load rating. The new DOT approved ones are load range F and carry over 2800lbs per tire, making it ideal for a trailer like this.

My dilemma is that I want to use regular 3500lb trailer axles which of course use a standard 5-lug wheel instead of the bud-type wheels that originally came on the trailer. So, does anyone make a 14.5" wheel with a 5 on 4.5" bolt circle? If not does anyone make a bud-type hub that fits on a 3500lb Dexter axle spindle? I believe that Dexter does still make a DOT legal 4000lb axle with bud type wheels but I'm sure it's not cheap. Also I already have a set of 3500lb axles from another project, so I would like to use them if possible. Thanks for any input.

i have a 3 axle trailer. my trailer has 4 14.5 wheels and 2 15 in wheels.i am having the same problem. i am seriously thinking on going with 15 in wheels.i am thinking on selling or trading the wheels.if interseted let me know. thx.jim 928 444 0786